Paul DeJong Cranks 3 Homers In A Game Against The Pirates

UPI Sports reports:

St. Louis Cardinals shortstop Paul DeJong hit three home runs in a 14-8 win against the Pittsburgh Pirates Wednesday night.

The Cardinals slugger went deep in the second, fourth and eighth innings during the victory at PNC Park in Pittsburgh. DeJong is now hitting .258 with 18 home runs and 49 RBIs this season. He went 4-for-4 with five RBIs and four runs scored in the win. 

"I don't know how to describe that besides a rock star appearance by our position players," Cardinals pitcher Adam Wainwright told reporters.

Pittsburgh jumped in front of St. Louis on an RBI single by Starling Marte in the bottom of the first frame. Colin Moran drove in the Pirates' second run with a sacrifice fly in the same inning. The Cardinals responded with nine runs in the top of the second inning.

Cardinals first baseman Paul Goldschmidt reached base on a fielding error in the first at-bat of the frame. DeJong then walked to the plate to face Pirates starter Jordan Lyles. The Cardinals infielder ripped a 2-1 slider to left center field for a 409-foot homer. The two-run shot had an exit velocity of 99 mph and left the field in 5.3 seconds, according to Statcast.

Yairo Martinez gave the Cardinals a 3-2 lead with an RBI double in the same inning. Andrew Knizner then hit his first homer of the season for a 5-2 advantage. Dexter Fowler brought home St. Louis' sixth run with an RBI double and Goldschmidt hit a two-run homer to give the Cardinals an 8-2 lead.

Stephen Strasburg Hit A 3-Run Homer To Beat The Braves

UPI.com reports:

Washington Nationals pitcher Stephen Strasburg recorded two hits in the same inning -- including a three-run homer -- during a rout of the Atlanta Braves Thursday.

The bomb came in the third inning of the 13-4 victory at SunTrust Park in Atlanta. Washington put up eight runs in the third frame, after trailing 1-0 to begin the inning. 

Check out the video HERE.

"That's just how crazy this game is," Strasburg told reporters. "Obviously my focus is going out there and trying to keep the other team at bay, but sometimes you just run into the ball.

"I've always been told that a swinging bat's a dangerous one. So I was just able to connect on one."

Pitcher Homer Bailey Traded To The Athletics

MLB.com reports:

Mid-July is often the point in the season when players are looking for a signal from the front office that will indicate what direction the club is going in with the impending July 31 Trade Deadline. The A’s sent a clear message about where they stand on Sunday.

Kicking off the second half with back-to-back wins to move into the lead for the second American League Wild Card spot, the A’s filled a need in the starting rotation with the addition of right-hander Homer Bailey in a deal with the Royals. Bailey is expected to make his debut on Wednesday against the Mariners at the Coliseum.

• 5 things to know about the A's-Royals Bailey deal

“The players feel these things. They want to feel like the front office is going out to make us better, and typically they do that,” A’s manager Bob Melvin said. “It doesn’t mean we’re done, but it’s nice to get someone in the rotation we feel makes us better.”

According to NBC sports:

The 33-year-old Bailey inked a minors deal with the Royals in advance of spring training. Since then, he’s put up a 7-6 record in 18 starts with a 4.80 ERA, 3.8 BB/9, and 8.1 SO/9 through 90 innings. While he isn’t the 3.00-ERA, 3.0+ fWAR, no-hitter hurler he was for the Reds in years past, he may yet improve his performance with the A’s as they vie for a wild card spot this summer. He was originally slated to start Sunday’s game against the Tigers, but was replaced by southpaw Brian Flynn prior to news of the trade.

Merrell, 23, was selected by the A’s in the first round of the 2017 amateur draft. The shortstop/second baseman made the jump to Double-A Midland in 2019 and slashed .246/.292/.339 with 19 extra bases, 13 stolen bases (in 17 chances), and a .631 OPS through 318 plate appearances. Per MLB Pipeline, he ranked 17th-best among the club’s prospects in 2019.

Mike Trout Exits Game Early Due To Right Calf Injury

MLB.com reports:

Angels superstar Mike Trout left Sunday’s 6-3 win over the Mariners in the top of the third with right calf tightness, but he said after the game that he’s confident that it’s just a minor injury. He’ll undergo an MRI exam as a precaution Monday and is considered day to day.

Trout said he felt tightness in his calf while tracking down balls hit to the outfield by Domingo Santana and Tim Beckham in the first inning. He told the trainers and manager Brad Ausmus about his calf, then he was removed after having gone 0-for-1 with a soft lineout in the first. Kole Calhoun replaced him in center field in the top of the third.

"It was kind of after those balls in center in the first inning," Trout said. "Felt a little something. Kind of went away. It was just smart to come out."

Trout added that he didn’t feel anything in his calf prior to the game and he doesn’t believe this will be a lingering issue. He said he could feel it while running, but not while hitting.

“I don't think it's that serious,” Trout said. “I think they're just being cautious. Calves are tough. You want it to be one or two days and not six weeks."

Ausmus is also hopeful that it’s not a serious injury, but he said he’ll wait to speculate on how long he’ll be out until Trout gets back the results from his MRI exam.

“We don't think it's a long-term thing, but we'll know more tomorrow,” Ausmus said. “He was lobbying to stay in the game."

Pete Alonso Wins Epic Battle To Be Crowned MLB Home Run Derby Champion

It was a battle for the ages. One that all fans of baseball's longball will not soon forget.

MLB.com reports:

Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s prodigious power kept Progressive Field buzzing during Monday night’s T-Mobile Home Run Derby. Yet when all was said and done, it was Pete Alonso raising the trophy.

Alonso outslugged Guerrero in a memorable final round, hitting 23 home runs to edge his fellow rookie by one homer. Alonso became the second rookie ever to win the event, joining Aaron Judge of the Yankees, who won in 2017.

Alonso’s total of 57 homers was the third most ever hit in a Derby, and although that was 34 fewer than Guerrero, he beat him when it counted.

“It's survive and advance,” Alonso said. “You've got to go in with kind of a killer instinct. It doesn't matter how many you hit; you just need to have one more than the guy you're facing.”

“I got tired, but that’s not why I lost,” Guerrero said. “There are no excuses. He hit more home runs than me and he won.”

Alonso became the first Mets player to win the Home Run Derby outright; Darryl Strawberry shared the title with Wally Joyner in 1986.

• Here's what happened in every HR Derby round

Alonso took home $1 million for winning the Derby, and he had pledged that he would donate 5% of his winnings to the Wounded Warrior Project and another 5% to the Tunnel to Towers Foundation if he emerged victorious.

“I respect anyone who puts their life on the line every single day, going to work knowing that they may have to make the ultimate sacrifices,” Alonso said. “There are people that are making sacrifices every single day abroad keeping us free and then there are people at home keeping us safe.”

Cody Bellinger Hits 30th Homer Before All Star Break, Breaks Dodgers Record

MLB.com reports:

On Wednesday night, he passed Duke Snider and Gil Hodges for most Dodgers home runs before the All-Star break. On Thursday night, he closed the gap on Reggie Jackson (37), Mark McGwire (33) and Willie Mays (31) for most pre-break homers under the age of 24.

This is the kind of company Cody Bellinger is keeping in what has the makings of the greatest offensive season in Dodgers history, the All-Star outfielder tacking on home run No. 30 in a 5-1 win over the Padres on the Fourth of July at Dodger Stadium. Wonder what he’ll do on Friday.

• Box score

“I apologize for the lack of drama at the end,” joked manager Dave Roberts, whose team had won its previous five home games in walk-offs.

No need for theatrics this time, as Bellinger and Max Muncy homered and Hyun-Jin Ryu (10-3) pitched six scoreless innings in a final tune-up for his All-Star Game start.

If the magnitude of what he’s doing at the plate is having any impact on Bellinger, it didn't show when he talked about it after another night of heroism in support of Ryu.

“Just trying to keep going,” said Bellinger. “Just try to stay in the present the best I can. Not get too big-headed or too down on myself. I don’t try to listen to all those numbers.”

Then, cover your ears. Bellinger, who homered twice on Wednesday night, crushed a hanging breaking ball as a greeting to lefty reliever Logan Allen. Allen had replaced starter Dinelson Lamet, who was making his first MLB start since Tommy John surgery 15 months earlier.

Eleven of Bellinger’s 30 homers have come off left-handers, the most dramatic improvement in his game from last year, when only six of his 25 home runs were off lefties. 

Angels Pitcher Tyler Skaggs Dead At 27

NBC news reports:

Los Angeles Angels pitcher Tyler Skaggs died sudden on Monday and the team's game against the Texas Rangers was called off.

"It is with great sorrow that report that Tyler Skaggs passed away earlier today in Texas," the American League team from Anaheim, California, said in a statement.

"Tyler has, and always will be, an important part of the Angels Family. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife Carli and his entire family during this devastating time.

The team did not immediately say how the 27-year-old died.

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